"I realised that many people object to the catching of sharks, the government has taken this measure after long consideration, it wasn't a knee-jerk reaction. We've been looking at this for some time."

He said the plan would provide greater protection to beach goers.

Department of Premier and Cabinet is calling for tenders from commercial fishers to carry out the management of the drum lines. Photo: Aleisha Orr

As part of the plan any great white shark, tiger shark or bull shark greater than three metres caught by fishers in the state government's "kill zones" will be killed.

Under the plan, baited lines will be deployed one kilometre off the coast in a bid to catch sharks that near popular beaches and surf breaks.

Two zones will be established: one stretching the length of the Perth coast from Quinns Rocks to Warnbro; and a second zone around Cape Naturaliste in the South West, which will stretch from Forrest Beach, north of Busselton, to Prevelly.

Premier Colin Barnett with one of the hooks used to catch sharks. Photo: Aleisha Orr

On Friday, Mr Barnett and Mr Baston announced the locations of eight popular WA beaches where controversial baited drum lines will be deployed.

The five Perth areas are Ocean Reef and Mullaloo, Trigg and Scarborough, Floreat and City Beach, Cottesloe and North Cottesloe and Port and Leighton beaches.

While, in the South West there will be drum lines set one kilometre offshore at Old Dunsborough beach, Meelup and Castle Rock and at Gracetown.

The lines will be set in the next few weeks, costing about $1 million.

Mr Barnett said the government worked with Surf Life Saving WA to identify widely used beaches where there have been a 'significant' number of shark sightings.

There will be up to 72 drum lines deployed in stages over the January to April period.

The Department of Premier and Cabinet is calling for tenders from commercial fishers to carry out the "management, release of by-catch, retention or disposal of the targeted catch and 12 hour patrols of drum line areas."

The successful tenderer will be required to deploy baited drum lines and patrol and maintain them for 12 hours each day between 6am and 6pm seven days a week within specified zones.

Any sharks meeting the size and species requirements will be shot and "taken offshore" to be discarded.

According to the tender documents sharks will be "humanely destroyed" with a "firearm."

Other animals will be released alive "where possible."

"Any animals which are dead, or considered not in a condition to survive, are to be humanely destroyed, tagged and taken offshore for disposal."

The tenderer will also be required to act as a "rapid response" unit when required.

Tenders close on January 3 and the first phase of the plan is expected to be operational by January 10.

While the Premier has been reluctant to call the plan to kill sharks a 'cull' some scientists say that is exactly what it is, WA conservationists claim the move could actually increase the risk of shark attacks and could also harm other animals caught as a by-catch.

Synchronised protests against WA’s new shark policy are planned across all states and territories on January 4.

-With Narelle Towie

81 comments

Sometimes against my better judgement, I've always voted Liberal, though largely easily due to the union influence in the Labor party which I detest and the lack of any other viable centre parties. However this is a vote changer for me, I look forward to voting Barnett out in 3.5 years. Luckily I am no longer in his electorate, so my vote may actually count.

Toasters kill 100 times as many people a year, why doesn't he ban toasters??

See everyone at Cott on Jan 4.

Commenter

Nick

Location

Perth

Date and time

December 27, 2013, 11:53AM

Had no idea toasters were so dangerous, but there you go: sensible comparison has been made. I don't think we should be killing animals like this given the rates of extinction across the planet

Commenter

pallatso

Location

Sydney

Date and time

December 27, 2013, 2:22PM

Yes... it is all very silly I feel, because there is a strong possibility that sharks could be hungry because the fish the sharks normally eat, maybe being fished out by humans, so humans may be a alternative food source....and also the leaking nuclear from the broken plant in japan is rumoured to be doing a lot of damage to wildlife in the sea, so I imagine this would'nt help the sharks food situation either.....

Commenter

Hestor

Date and time

December 27, 2013, 2:27PM

A lot of people have been mentioning that 'something' kills 'x' amount of people a year ,blah blah blah. But they never offer any statistics to prove there point.

Commenter

micko

Date and time

December 27, 2013, 2:49PM

So I guess we can expect to see the reciprocal action taken to wipe out all dogs, given that they kill a much greater number of people and hospitalize 14,000 per year. Oh and then there are those pesky bees, they need to be wiped out, because they kill more people than sharks per annum.........is the Barnett government living in 1714 or 2014?

Commenter

panaitan

Date and time

December 27, 2013, 6:12PM

Love how this arrogant government continues to make decisions that are not based on solid research… what will this do to our ecosystems?? Hands up who voted for Liberal and Colin - you should be ashamed!!

Commenter

S42

Date and time

December 27, 2013, 12:27PM

In Reply to the ningnong who believes voting for Colin was a bad idea, just because of taking out a few sharks is so important to society and believe that the labour Party is a better option, you would have to have the capacity of intelligence of three damaged Brain Cells.The only extinct species to be removed from earth is the Greenies as the believe what is fed to them by over educated drop kicks who have no life experience what so ever about life in the real wold.

Commenter

STONEFISH

Location

PERTH

Date and time

December 27, 2013, 5:00PM

Who would have thought, lefties being anti cull. As original as guys getting tatts to look interesting.

Commenter

Ryan

Date and time

December 27, 2013, 12:46PM

Am glad you said 'cull' as thats what it is. Oh by the way, your master Barnett says its not a cull so you might want to sort that out with him.

Commenter

Cullin Sharknett

Location

Emperor

Date and time

December 27, 2013, 1:15PM

Japan could actually take the moral high ground on this one. At least, under the guise of 'research', they eat what they kill. We just kill and dump.